The present invention relates to connectors and more particularly to connectors for mating in a connector assembly having coding means which provide a sufficient number of unique codes for mating only predetermined connectors together.
Connector assemblies generally comprise male and female connector parts which mate together. The connector parts of such assemblies typically have polarizing arrangements to ensure that a male connector matingly engages with a female receptacle connector in only one possible alignment. An example of such a polarizing arrangement is shown in assignee's U.S. Pat. No. 4,787,860 which issued Nov. 29, 1988.
Connector assemblies have also been provided in the past with various keying or coding arrangements which are intended to ensure that only preselected connector parts can be plugged into each other. According to the European Patent Application 0 036 770, a number of equal first keying elements are selectively disposed at any of a plurality of predetermined positions on the housing of one connector, while a number of equal second keying elements are selectively disposed at any of a plurality of given positions on the body of a mating connector with each corresponding to one of the predetermined positions on the first connector housing. The keying elements are shaped and arranged such that engagement between the contacts of both of the connectors in prevented by engagement between the keying elements on the first connector and those of the mating connector.
Another coding arrangement is shown in German patent application 2 940 457. Each connector is provided with two code faces, each having one recess. The code faces of the female connector are constituted by two equal keying means each having said one recess. The male connector is provided at its outer surface with two equal keying means presenting two code faces which are complementary to that of the corresponding code faces of the female connector. In these prior connector assemblies, the code face or faces of each connector are formed by a number of keying means. Consequently, a number of steps must be carried out for constituting the code face of each connector.
After the selection of a specific combination of tabs and slots, they can be modified only to a limited degree. Such connector assemblies thus have the disadvantage that the allocation of female parts to male parts is not very flexible. In addition, the coding in such prior art connectors is time-consuming and is not unambiguous.